Yes I was Hit

Update
well the thefts have slowed down
But the diligence is unnerving
this guy will take any thing including steel ,
If he comes by I see he does not want to leave empty handed

The police have not investigated , I figure cause they want more evidence .
Yet in my small country town all signs point to a individual with a specific car owned by a junkie
and thats the bottom line.

I visited pawn shops & they will not look up any names for me , The scrap yard will also not look up any names . the police
don't try.

Yet I owe $180 for a seat belt ticket NICE !!

What irks me - He took from me - & this is what I brush aside to get much of my inventory

The tools I had were purchased with money from hard labor and particular jobs I had at the time.
This thief is not worthy of the sweat of my brow.

Is there anyone on here close to you, or friends or family that could help you with a steak-out.

I don't know who to turn to except this is a job for modern technology , This pic turned up on one of my old post's and is an example
it represents just one of my unique finds it meant more then money to me it was like finding the grand prize . Sure some day i was going to cash it in among many other items but that was for me to do
The police said to me if you catch him with a piece of brass in hand you can't kill him , you can take his license down . To kill you have to be in a life or death situation.

This is my lively hood . I need these moneys he stole , Fighting to pay bills and keep a roof over my families head That is life or death .

This pic copper rad even the fins
I needed to cut upper lower portion
for copper price

"But officer he was trying to hit me with my own property, I felt my life was in danger"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by brandon

"But officer he was trying to hit me with my own property, I felt my life was in danger"

---

Truly stated - scrap is dangerous , It would be a weapon in desperate hands.

I'm sorry this has happened, and more so that it hasn't stopped yet. Sounds like you've realized another cost of business for scrapping is protection of your goods - whether that's spending additional time bringing everything in and then re-loading, a home security system, cameras, a shed to lock stuff in, or whatever. If you think about it, every scrapyard has a fence and usually barbed wire and other controls. Fortunately you weren't wiped out and can continue to provide for your family, and recover from the mistake of being a little too casual with security. Live and Learn.

Given the size of your tool loss, would you want to submit a claim on your homeowner's insurance policy? It's a possibility, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it - ususally it's better to abosorb small and medium losses than to turn them in. Your rates will go up. They would require a police report for the theft, and there's the possibility that they would put more pressure on the police and even investiagte themselves and it might eliminate the current threat.

You could also call in a report to the police each time something is stolen. Maybe with enough calls they'll do something to get you to go away. Think about the downside though that they may put pressure on you scrapping to get back at you - it may end up costing more in the end.

In the end, maybe the best answer is to lock EVERYTHING up and don't ever leave it unlocked and unattended. Loss control and prevention measures are cheaper than insurance in the long run. There's a reason most stores only have small amounts of cash in the drawers. It prevents a large theft. This guy feels like it's worth his time to steal from you because he keeps coming back. The cheapest way to end your problems is probably going to be heightened security and make it so he doesn't get anything. If it's not worth his time, he'll move on to greener pastures.

But don't assume he's the only one and will be the last. There's always plenty of people out there looking for an easy buck, and many will steal to get it. You work hard for your $$$, and you take your responsibility to family seriously - don't let them get your $$$ with minimal effort. Hopefully you can put some money back into the business to enhance your security.

Hope it works out and you are able to focus more of your time on scrapping and less on being stolen from soon.

Quote:

---

But don't assume he's the only one and will be the last. There's always plenty of people out there looking for an easy buck, and many will steal to get it. You work hard for your $$$, and you take your responsibility to family seriously - don't let them get your $$$ with minimal effort. Hopefully you can put some money back into the business to enhance your security.

Hope it works out and you are able to focus more of your time on scrapping and less on being stolen from soon.

---

How about a storage unit, those places are secure, and you can work in them with the door open. Maybe use it as a breakdown area.

Post #46 is a truth . You know a odd thing is I see one of my issues came from certain people that made me feel like my type of income was less then the a real job
so I guess I became careless now I see how I am actually in a sense not a broke person wile I am not really rich to the tune of 100,000 thousands I see that in reality I have some thing that is real and others will steal it from me. Well I am rich to some one now and I need to step up to that reality . As long as god gives me life I find more , I am better off then the thief as he does not know how to get it legal that is a desperate life
These bad to the bone scrappers will if i let them have me spin my wheels to no place.

post #47
Sure that would be nice but $50 a month , is more or less the going rate ,might only be worth it if I could use it as a mild work location. You know the running joke is people keep thousands worth of goods in storage for years and they end up spending more they the items are worth
But sure I could probably store away each month more then the rental cost each month till it's packed like a hog
I see now I can't really stash with peace of mind any more . I feel if i was to store away 50,000 worth of goods I'll end up with a home invasion.

Quote:

---

post #47 - Sure that would be nice but $50 a month , is more or less the going rate ,might only be worth it if I could use it as a mild work location.

---

Well you can work out of them and also I'll bet that $50.00 a month has probably "walked" away from there the last few months before you noticed it. This way at least it would be secure.

Copper what about a security camera so you can catch him?

Or what about one of these low tech deer camera's they work great at my buddies cabin and you can hide them. At least you will then know who it is. Have you also tried leaving your house parking your car a few blocks away, then doing a stake out. Make a home made spike strip that way if you do catch him you can throw it under his tires to stop his quick get away.

You could also leave it in your drive way while you are out maybe he wont see it and get a few flats.

Moultrie® A-5 Low Glow 5 Megapixel Infrared Digital Game Camera | Bass Pro Shops

If you can get storage for $50 per month I would jump on it. We rent a 10x25 for $200 per month and for that size thats a good price for out here. Its 50# of wire per month to cover costs which shouldn't be a problem.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mechanic688

Well you can work out of them and also I'll bet that $50.00 a month has probably "walked" away from there the last few months before you noticed it. This way at least it would be secure.

---

$50 per month is a small size
Upstate you can rent a decent size APT for $350 per month .
Yes over $50 per month walked
The tighter I get he still finds some thing . At this point I see two stiles of theft if I have a few items of true value he takes half . Yet I also see he will take a bucket of short that clearly he knows I will realize whats up . This could be the work of more then one at this point. They are country junkies , guns are easy to buy here including pistols . Hunting is big . If I could catch him in the act , It will be like catching a cornered Rat. Just for the record there are a rash of robberies going on and the locals will tell you this town was never like this . Back just a few years and all years before locking your home door was not Necessary.
I left the city suburbs in favor of clean ,safe & more honesty. I feel it might be worse here now , as the country junkies know the territory & take advantage of what the country really is . No cops and plenty of back roads & it's dark .
I heard harbor freight has a system for $50 thats the only way i will catch him or them.
--------------------

Some of the real damage is my marriage, see scrap does produce money yet the visual sacrifice is a small working yard so to say.
As your stuff walks , also walks some of the fun of a family dinner day or some shopping at wall mart with the family.
As I regroup there is less to spend and the damage is two fold less money , & yet I still have the look of a working yard that starts to have a harder time proving it's reality .
Regardless I did up a boiler as short today and have a nice house dismantling project this week - fridges - water heater - wire - I am going to do my best to keep my partner out of the loop , he brings nothing to the table . But for sure he is a wasted talent.

Do you think the partner is the one stealing. Most criminals are known to the victims especially property crimes.

I feel your pain. But you'd probably be suffering as well if you got sick for a week and couldn't get out of bed. Adversity comes in many forms, but it's made my marriage stronger as we've struggled together through the hard times. Remember that your scrapping is a means of providing for your family and your family isn't an obstacle to your scrapping. Money is needed to pay bills, but remember it doesn't buy happiness in the family. Some of my most memorable moments with my wife were early in our marriage when we could go grocery shopping together at 3 in the morning after I got of work. We were broke and could barely afford groceries, but I count those with the best of our dates. Today, some of my happiest times with my family are when we stay up talking for an hour or two after the kids are asleep, or when I get to sit with my family at church (calling/responsibility with church has me sitting up front for all but 4 weeks a year). None of those cost any extra money.

So you've lost a good chunk of change. You've lost a little pride and eaten a little humble pie from being stolen from. Keep your head up, keep it in a much larger perspective than just the present. You and your family can work through this challenge, just as you've had to work through challenges in the past and will have many yet to come. My personal belief and faith is that life is a testing ground, and that tough times are part of the ride - but they are here to make us stronger and for us to learn.

I'll also say you're a scrapper. In my mind, that isn't someone who takes trash to make money. It's someone who see's the opportunity in what others discard. It's someone who's determined to survive and even thrive on next to nothing. It takes a lot of hard work and perseverance. And if you've gotten this far, you'll find a way to get through this bad spot.

Hey, Copperhead...Droz has a good suggestion with the deer camera. Buddy of mine here on the sandbar has a similar deal on his house. Motion sensor deer hunting camera. Said it was pretty cheap, might be something to look into, to protect your goods.

Good luck catching the thieving bastard.

Sirscrapalot - Gun control? We need bullet control! I think every bullet should cost 5,000 dollars. Because if a bullet cost five thousand dollar, we wouldn't have any innocent bystanders.~ Chris Rock

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sirscrapalot

Sirscrapalot - Gun control? We need bullet control! I think every bullet should cost 5,000 dollars. Because if a bullet cost five thousand dollar, we wouldn't have any innocent bystanders.~ Chris Rock

---

Every one gets 5 things at birth,

Social security card, Birth certificate, pacifier, bottle, parents choice of Rifle or Hand gun.

After seeing a real thief scrapper in action , I feel liberated as to what I am doing , it is not harming any one . While I have eaten a little crow from some superior people now and then , I see they really know nothing.
Since now I had the chance to see the belly of the beast.

Well I found a way to use the theft as insight for public relations & renewing trust. .
Recently (month and half ago ) a dumpster that delivered great metals from a utility type company , had the owner say to me we have thieves stealing from us
I can't have any one coming in my work areas ANY MORE !
I did my best to express all my rules as to honest collecting - never a metal only containers & yada yada . It was no use the owner was firm about it .
For a month I kept thinking what should i say or rite him to renew trust in a scrapper (honest one)

As the shock of my situation melted into my reality . I said to my self - I AM NO THIEF ! I need not be meek cause others steal .
This morning with a full load of mix in truck bed , I ask the owner could he hear me out for a few min. I told him of all the stuff i had taken from me .I am just not those type of people . I said look at my truck load Thats scrap the hard way those other type want it easy .They are sneaky and take a little at a time.
I said can I please take a look a few times a week, in your mix trash during business hours.
He said if what you do keeps it out of the land fill then during business hours is fine.

Home run .

I have been having some really good days lately and next week looks very promising as a plumber has a boiler for me .
As I was loading my truck to day in mile high mode I said those thief scrappers are annoying and cause a set back still they can't keep up with real passion of a down and dirty scrapper. I can find free and they can only take what is not theres.
They are modern day horse thieves & should be hung.
Any one can make a mistake that seems like a theft , real theft is a selfish way to make money that could destroy the finance of another human .

The way it used to be- if you got caught stealing your hand got cut off!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by scrapping4ever

The way it used to be- if you got caught stealing your hand got cut off!

---

Those kinda places also don't have repeat drunk drivers. They just walk them off into a quiet area near the car & put a bullet thru their head....
----------------------

Yay, I'm really happy for you Copper head. Things are looking better & I'm impressed with your idea of making 100% sure your source knows you are honest.

I did a similar thing with the Police here a while ago when they asked about my metal when doing a evidence check on my place after it got broken into by some kids. (I knew their father, thats how they knew me)

AND, your understanding about druggys. Ok, they got themselves into their mess, its their fault, but upsetting the brain chemistry makes for bad desisions they can't see to control.